Chrysanthemum plant named Vista

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named Vista having semi-incurved to flat capitulum form; anemone capitulum type; light bronze to golden yellow ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 35 to 50 mm. at maturity; uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; short plant height when grown as a pinched spray pot mum, and spreading branching pattern.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., named Vista.

Vista is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objectiveof creating new chrysanthemum cultivars for pinched, spray pot mumprograms having anemone capitulum type, a yellow ray floret color, sevento eight week flowering response, and the ability to producecommercially acceptable quality in year round programs. Such traits incombination were not present or required improvement in previouslyavailable commercial cultivars.

Vista was originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding programin Salinas, Calif. in 1978. The female parent was Russet, disclosed inpending application Ser. No. 337,724 and originated by the presentinventor from a hybridization of an unnamed yellow anemone seedling(Illini #73-99) and an unnamed color intensification mutant of thecultivar Fiesta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,632. The male parentof Vista was an unnamed bronze daisy seedling originated from a crossbetween an unnamed bronze daisy seedling and Circus, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 4,118.

Vista was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by William E. Duffett in December 1979 in acontrolled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Vista was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in April 1980in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. by a technician workingunder formulations established and supervised by William E. Duffett.Horticultural examination of selected units initiated Apr. 4, 1981 hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor Vista are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegeneration of asexual reproduction.

Vista has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment suchas temperature, light intensity and day length. The observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif.and Leamington, Canada under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Vista which in combination distinguish thischrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar;

(1) semi-incurved to flat capitulum form;

(2) Anemone capitulum type;

(3) Light bronze to golden yellow ray floret color;

(4) Diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 35 to 50 mm. atmaturity;

(5) Uniform seven weeks photoperiodic flowering response to short days;

(6) Short Plant Height, requiring 2-3 long day weeks prior to pinch andshort days, and 0-1 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 after the beginning ofshort days to attain a flowered plant height of 20 to 30 cm, and

(7) Spreading branching pattern.

The accompanying photographic drawings depict typical foliage andinflorescence characteristics of Vista. Sheet 1 is a color photograph ofa plant of Vista grown as a pinched spray pot mum, with colors being asaccurate as possible with renditions of this type. Sheet 2 is a blackand white photograph of three views of the inflorescence of Vista. Sheet3 shows the leaves of Vista in three stages of development (mature,intermediate, immature).

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to Vista is Ritz, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.3,863. Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certaincharacteristics of Vista to those same characteristics of Ritz.

Vista is similar to Ritz in its use as a spray pot mum and its yellowcolor.

Vista differs from Ritz in capitulum form and type, and has a morespreading branching habit, smaller capitulum diameter and 7 versus 9week flowering response period.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determinedbetween 1:30 P.M. and 2:00 P.M. on Aug. 13, 1982 under 150 foot-candlelight intensity at Salinas, Calif.

CLASSIFICATION

Botanical: Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv Vista.

Commercial: Spray anemone pot mum.

INFLORESCENCE

Capitulum:

Form.--Semi-incurved to flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--35 To 50 mm.

Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Light bronzeto golden yellow.

Color (abaxial).--Winter: 7C, 7D with light streaking of 168D. Summer:13B, 13C.

Color (adaxial).--Winter: 6D. Summer: 13A.

Shape.--Short, oblong, with rounded tip.

Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).9B.

Color (immature).--154B.

Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present disc florets only; abundant pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

General appearance:

Height.--Short; 20 to 30 cm. given 2 long day weeks before pinch andlights out, and 1-2 applications 2500 B-9 after lights out.

Branching pattern.--Prolific, spreading.

Foliage:

Color (abaxial).--147A.

Color (adaxial).--147B.

Shape.--Deeply lobed. Moderately serrate.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARISON OF VISTA AND RITZ                                                  ______________________________________                                                             CAPITULUM                                                CULTI-  RAY FLORET   FORM AND    BRANCHING                                    VAR     COLOR        TYPE        PATTERN                                      ______________________________________                                        VISTA   LIGHT        ANEMONE     SPREADING                                            BRONZE TO                                                                     GOLDEN                                                                        YELLOW                                                                RITZ    MEDIUM       FLAT        SEMI-                                                YELLOW       DAISY       SPREADING                                    ______________________________________                                                DIAMETER                 FLOWERING                                    CULTI-  ACROSS FACE OF PLANT     RESPONSE                                     VAR     CAPITULUM      HEIGHT    PERIOD                                       ______________________________________                                        VISTA   35 to 50 mm.   SHORT     7 WEEKS                                                             20 to                                                                         30 cm.                                                 RITZ    70 to 80 mm.   SHORT     9 WEEKS                                                             25 to                                                                         35 cm.                                                 ______________________________________                                        COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS PINCHED,                                  SPRAY POT MUMS IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                         ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium,Ramat., plant known by the cultivar name Vista, as described andillustrated, and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by thecombined characteristics of semi-incurved to flat capitulum form;anemone capitulum type; light bronze to golden yellow ray floret color;diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 35 to 50 mm. at maturity;uniform seven weeks flowering response; short plant height, andspreading branching pattern.